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R. ROBERTS 8v J. L. KNIGHT.

Life Raft.

No. 236,721.. Patented Jan. I8, 1881.

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NTTED STATES PATENT Tricia ROBERT ROBERTS AND JOHN L. KNIGHT, OF NEV YORK, N. Y.

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SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 236,721, dated January 18, 1881.

Application filed August 4, 1880.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ROBERT ROBERTS and JOHN L. KNIGHT, both of New York city, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Life-Rafts, of which the following is a speciiication.

Our invention aims to provide a life-raft which, while being quite compact when on deck, shall be capable of rapid and easy extension to afford large capacity for passengers, with great buoyancy when launched, and at the same time embody a strong, light, and safe construction.

To these ends our invention is embodied in the special construction ofthe iloats, the mode of connecting and bracing them together, and in the attachment of the gunwale or rowlockbar thereto.

A leading feature of our invention also consists in a folding extensible construction of the platform or deck, and in an arrangement of guard or life lines connecting thereto, as hereinafter fully set forth.

Figure 1 of the drawings annexed presents a plan view of our improved life-raft with the platform extended and one float shown partly in section. Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal section, and Fig. 3 is a cross-section thereof.

In the drawings, c c indicate the iloats of the raft, which, according to our invention, consist of metal tubes or cylinders formed of a strip or sheet of metal wound spirally, as illustrated, the spiral edges being lapped, riveted, and the joints soldered, or the whole tube subsequently galvanized, thus rendering the joint perfectly tight. This construction is not only simple and inexpensive, but very light and strong, as the lapped and riveted joint running spirally around the float acts as a brace or corrugation, which strengthens it at all points. The

ends of the tubular oats are pointed or conical, as usual; but a further novel feature of the floats consists in a smaller float, a', arranged within the outer larger float, with an air-space between them, so that should the outer iloat become punctured the inner one,

The ends ofthe smallerioat are supported in the pointed ends of the larger one, and its middle is supported by a ring or collar, b, arranged between the inner and outer tubes, as seen best in Fig.

(No model.)

l. The opposite floats of the raft, as illustrated, are placed parallel to each other at a suitable distance, and are rigidly connected together with the supporting platform or deck arranged between them, as usual but the special manner of connection is novel, consisting of metal pipes with screw-connections, after the mannerofordinarypipe-iittings. Thus anuinber of metal plates, c c, are riveted or otherwise fixed on the inner sides of the floats at their center lines, as seen in each figure of the drawings, which plates have projecting threaded nipples, into which metal rods or tubes d d are screwed, and which meet or converge midway between the lloats in the form of a series of Xs, where their converging ends are screwed with an opposite thread into the branches of the pipe-crosses e, which thus firmly join the several rods of each X together. This mode of bracing and connecting the floats is not only obviously strong and light, but is very simple and cheap and braces the floats together in a very rigid manner.

The slats of the deck or platformfare supported on three cross bars or beams, g, extend- -ing between the floats, one at the center and one at each end, which are held at the ends by metall straps h, which encircle the floats, and are riveted or otherwise secured thereto, as fully shown in the drawings, thus rendering the connection ofthe deck with the floats strong and safe.

In life-rafts of this cla-ss as heretofore made it has been found that the buoyancy of the floats is greater than the weight of the utmost number of persons which their decks can accommodate. Now it is, of course, desirable to have the decks of the greatest practicable extent or capacity, so as to accommodate as large a number of persons as the raft can properlyT iioat. This we accomplish by providing the deck with extensible sections, preferably at each end, as seen at k 7c in Figs. 1 and 2. These extensible sections are hinged, like folding leaves, to the ends of the deck, as illustrat` ed, and they are preferably each half the length of the deck, so that they can meet at the center of the deck when folded inward, and be there fastened by a suitable catch, (not showin) so as to bring the raft within a compact space when aboard ship. When the raft is launched,

however, the extensions or folding leaves k 7c may be unfastened and swung out on a level with the main deckf, as shown in Figs.1 and 2, thus doubling the extent of the deck or platform, and hence greatly increasing the efficiency of the raft and its capacity to support passengers, so that its life-saving power is thus greatly enhanced. Smaller folding leaves Z l are hinged to the sides of the main leaves 7c 7c, so as to fold out sidewise, as shown in Fig. l, and thus still further extend the supporting-platform at the ends of` the floats.

For the greater security1 ofthe raft and safety of its passengers, we provide a novel arrangement of' life-lines on each side of the raft, to afford a hold to the passengers thereon. This is shown clearly in Fig. 2, but is not represented in Fig. l, in order to avoid confusion of parts.

A rock-shaft, m, preferably made ofl metal pipe, is screwed at each end into pipe Ts, which arejournaled in eyes close to the deck at each end thereof', as shown. From these Ts standards n extend, as shown, also preferably made of' pipe, and each tipped with a screw-cap having an eye at each side, from which a cord or chain, o 0, extends in one direction to the end of the deck-extensions k, and in the other direction to the opposite end ofthe deckj', as fully shown in Fig. 2, and, as may be seen in Fig. 3, the arrangement ofl lines is the same on each side of' the raft.

It may be now observed that the act of' swinging out the extensible sections lc will bring the standards a in vertical position, where they may be rigidly held by catches, and will cause the life-lines to assume their effective positions, which afford secure and arnple hold for the passengers and protect them from falling or becoming washed overboard. It may be also seen that these lines, with their standards, act as a truss to partly support the extensible sections, the weight on which will always keep the lines taut and serviceable; and it may be further observed that the pivoted arrangement of the standards, in connection with their rock-shaf`t m, enables the lines and standards to readily assume a recumbent position and fold coinpactly under the extensible sections 7tt when the same are folded in against the deck, as may be seen on reference to the submerged side of' the raft in Fig. 2.

lt may now be stated that the several described features ofthe raft-viz., the deck, folding leaves thereof', life-lines, &c.-aredouble that is, duplicated on each side of' the raftso that when the raft is launched it will be in a condition for instant use whichever side is the uppermost, as may be readily seen from Figs 2 and 3 of' the drawings.

Gunwales or rowlock-bars fr r are fixed centrally on top or bottom sides of the floats,and are provided with rowlock-pins t, as shown, to

afford a fulerum for oars, whereby the raft may be propelled. These bars are secured to the iioats in the manner shown best in Fig. 3, a broad parallel strip, s, being placed under the gunwalestrip on the inside of the float, while bolts extend through the same and fasten the strips firmly to the float. This mode of' attaching the rowlock-bars secures a broad bearing on the cylinder of' the float and prevents any straining or injury thereto by the stress of the oars. Furthermore these bars, while being secured to the thin metal of' the float in a most secure manner, act as keels interiorly and exteriorly on the ioat, and thereby impart great longitudinal stiffness thereto, which prevents hogging77 and enables the float to effectual] y resist the shock produced in striking the water when launched.

What we claim is- 1. A hollow iioat for life-rafts formed of' two hermetically-closed tubes, one arranged within the other, with an intervening air-space between them, the inner tube being supported at its ends in the pointed ends of the outer tube and at its middle by a ringpr collar, substantially as described, and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination, with the floats a d and main deck f, rigidly secured thereto, of the folding end sections, k' k, and side hinged extensions, l l, substantially as described, and for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination, in a life-raft, of the screw-nipples c c, having bases fixed to the inner sides of the iioats, with the diagonal screw rods or tubes d cl and central connecting screw crosses, e c, substantially as herein shown and described.

4. The combination, with a life-raft, of` the folding decks and the pivoted or folding stainlard a, with lines 0 0 extending from each.

side thereof' to opposite ends of the deck, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. The combination, in a life-raft, of the fixed deck f, extensible or folding deck-section k, with the folding or pivoted standard n, and lines o o', extending from said standard respectively to one end of the fixed deck and to one end of the folding section, substantially as herein shown and described.

6. The combination, with the float a of a life-raft, of' the rowlock-bars 1^ r, placed on the exterior of the float and extending longitudinally thereof, parallel bars s s, placed beneath the same and on the interior of' the float, and bolts t, which serve the purpose of bolting the bars to the float, and at the Sametime their free ends form rowlock-pins, substantially as described.

ROBERT ROBERTS. JOHN L. KNIGHT. Vitnesses:

EDWARD H. WALES, CHAs. M. HIGGINS.

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